tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22359595921058196852012-03-09T08:10:57.680-08:00The Morning OfferingThis is an inspirational daily offering provided by a Russian Orthodox igumen. All-Merciful Saviour Monastery is situated on Vashon Island in the Puget Sound, near Seattle, Washington. The author of this blog is The Very Rev. Tryphon, abbot of the monastery.Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.comBlogger11531100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-77502371887157737982012-03-09T01:30:00.001-08:002012-03-09T01:30:35.867-08:00
God's Love
God's Love Consumes All
It
is good to remember that in Orthodox teaching, heaven and hell are not
about places, but about relationship. God is everywhere, and He did not
create a heaven for some, and a hell for others. We choose how we will
experience the presence of God in the afterlife. God can not be absent
from anywhere, and those who have chosen, in this life, to Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04718759937662026384noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-72664055922517448682012-03-08T04:46:00.002-08:002012-03-08T04:46:52.610-08:00
Orthodox Witness
Within the Fold but Without Love
That
our Orthodox Church possesses the
Truth is a given, yet in our weakness as believers, the obviousness of
that Truth is often invisible to others. In our weakness as a people,
clergy as well as laity, we fail to demonstrate a love and joy that
would make our faith attractive to others. When
people visit an Orthodox temple Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04718759937662026384noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-55588507221683602412012-03-07T07:27:00.002-08:002012-03-07T07:27:37.644-08:00
Work
click on photo to enlarge
Spiritual Work and Physical Work
The
compartmentalization of the work week can wreak havoc on the inner
life. It is easier to keep your prayers, spiritual reading, and focus on
Christ, reserved for the weekend. Like so many, you struggle to keep
spiritually grounded while at work. So many jobs make it seem impossible
to stay centered, spiritually, when Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04718759937662026384noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-4667198449549118882012-03-06T07:28:00.002-08:002012-03-06T07:28:21.781-08:00
Idols
Hoping this is our last snow for the season.
Beware of False Idols
Idolatry
is a pejorative term for the worship of an idol, a physical object
worshiped as though it were a god. Idolatry can also involve objects,
persons, entertainment, even self. Anything that replaces the centrality
of God in our life, can be a form of idolatry. Job, music, money, sex,
Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04718759937662026384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-75904423314597671732012-03-05T08:06:00.002-08:002012-03-05T08:09:10.780-08:00
The Disturbed Heart
Novice Theofil, Abbot Tryphon, Hieromonk Paul, and Monk Moses (click photo to enlarge)
Forgetfulness of the Things of God
The Lenten
struggle is a perfect time to do battle with the passions that create a
state of unrest in our hearts. Anything that causes us to forget the
goal, which is union with God, must be resisted. Saint Basil the Great tells us Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-10022269356508867592012-03-04T00:05:00.001-08:002012-03-04T00:06:36.394-08:00
Fasting and Prayer
Fasting and Prayer go Together
One
of the great benefits of fasting is to be found in the aid it lends to
the controlling of our bodily inclinations to resist communion with God.
Fasting and prayer go together for the precise reason that fasting
helps the body conform to the spiritual conditions wherein we are open
to the things of the Spirit. Fasting helps us set Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-18544030153138031072012-03-03T07:49:00.001-08:002012-03-03T07:50:17.553-08:00
I'm Back!
I'm Back!
Due to changes made by Google, I've been locked out of my blog since
Wednesday, unable to upload any articles. I'm not a tech sort of guy
(being old), so have had to rely upon my younger friends. Thanks to
Peter and Richard, both tech guys (but by no means geeks) I am now back
up, and able to post!
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-87788804600104005702012-03-03T07:27:00.000-08:002012-03-03T07:27:04.607-08:00
Acquiring Humility
How to become Humble
We
have a fairly clear idea of what humility is, for we've all met people
who are truly humble. Metropolitan Laurus of blessed memory, the saintly
man who'd led the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia as her
Chief Hierarch, was such a man.
Our brotherhood's beloved
Father Spiridon (the Scotsman whose own humility inspired us,Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-22450673770020112942012-03-03T07:20:00.002-08:002012-03-03T07:20:24.154-08:00
Grateful Dead
A Monk is to be Dead to the World
A
monk is to be dead to the world, for by his very vocation he is called
to be set apart, living a life in imitation of the angels. Whether he be
praised or offended, a monk must react as though he were a dead man. He
must not be disturbed by insults, nor prideful when people praise him.
In his obedience and humility, he Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-47007068307148572032012-02-29T05:57:00.003-08:002012-02-29T06:06:31.756-08:00
Petty Clergy
Pettiness is the Enemy of Clergy
Pettiness
is that sickness of the heart that can lead some clergy to constantly
be on the lookout for anyone who might offend them. Ready at a moments
notice, they are poised to confront the offender. Such clergy build up
their low self esteem by finding someone they can look down upon,
needing, as they do, to find Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-87316734913762278412012-02-28T08:43:00.003-08:002012-02-28T15:17:19.325-08:00
Rejected
When People Don't Forgive
There
are people who insist on holding on to resentment, often inventing
situations in their minds that never happened, justifying their bad
behavior, and putting the blame on others. They
see themselves as the abused party, always quick to take offense.
Rarely are they able to have healthy Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-71904624683193498582012-02-27T00:12:00.004-08:002012-02-27T00:12:50.860-08:00
The Great Fast
click on photo to enlarge
Embrace the Lenten Fast
As we begin the Great and Holy Fast, let us
remember that our soul is immortal, and care must be given to ensure its
health. Our bodies will die, yet we often give more attention to the
health of our bodies, than we do for our souls. Let us embrace the
Lenten Fast with Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-60427150119406522342012-02-26T07:33:00.003-08:002012-02-26T09:00:01.365-08:00
Fasting
The late afternoon sun (click on photo to enlarge).
Keeping the Great Fast for the Right Reasons
The
Lord condemned the Pharisee, not because he fasted, but because his
motivation was based on pride. The Pharisee wished to be seen by men,
and he had no fear of God. He dared to stand before the Lord in pride
and arrogance, while the Publican stood afar off, Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-72245857555488639702012-02-25T00:11:00.005-08:002012-02-27T07:21:47.710-08:00
The Sins of Other
Be Quick to Embrace the Prodigal Son
Some people abandon themselves to sin in order to cover up their
lack of self esteem. In their need for intimacy and acceptance,
they seek out worldly pleasures, thinking these will fill the void that
has kept them from happiness. In their desperate search for love, they
are unable to form lasting Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-82627155354265270322012-02-24T09:50:00.003-08:002012-02-24T09:51:48.119-08:00
The Caregiver
Saint Gebriel Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Cathedral in Seattle. (click to enlarge).
Caregivers must Care for Themselves
My dear mother was diagnosed with
dementia, back in 2003. Soon after the diagnosis I moved her from Coeur
d' Alene, Idaho, and into an assisted living place on Vashon
Island, where I could be involved in the supervision of her care. TheAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-50187614447613097112012-02-23T05:51:00.002-08:002012-02-23T05:57:16.357-08:00
Depression
First signs of Spring
Prayer is the remedy for gloom and despondency
Depression is one of the plagues of the modern age, overtaking
many with it's insidious poison, and ravaging many a life. The pain and
suffering that comes with deep depression can infect those who surround
the sufferer, for the depression of one person can spread like mold on
stale Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-46906807280204344922012-02-22T00:14:00.003-08:002012-02-22T00:18:33.001-08:00
Compassion
Becoming a More Compassionate People
As our nation faces critical
decisions that will in all likelihood impact the lives of countless
elderly and poor, it is right that we consider the teachings of the
Orthodox Church concerning our duties to those who have less then we.
Saint John Chrysostom taught that, "the poor are not the spectacle of
human misery and Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-14680171944145868402012-02-21T04:56:00.002-08:002012-02-21T04:57:03.011-08:00
Love
Orthodox Christian Fellowship, University of Washington
The Preeminence of Love
Obedience
is a central theme throughout the history of salvation. Without
obedience to God's commandments, there can be no salvation, for the nous
(our spiritual center) must be healed before we can be made whole. The
role of obedience is so central, in fact, that submission to God's will
Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-39116783445278959302012-02-20T09:08:00.000-08:002012-02-20T10:04:24.100-08:00
Lenten Journey
The Patronal Icon of the Monastery
Transformation through the Lenten Journey
The Byzantine Court was filled with sycophants, busying themselves with
building alliances that would help them rise in status and influence.
Many emperors were tricked into
believing these sycophants were truly their friends, and could be
trusted, when in actuality they were Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-70884752228601007792012-02-19T00:05:00.001-08:002012-02-19T08:01:47.913-08:00
The Heart
Heavenly Worship must Enter into the Heart
The beauty of Orthodox worship is meant to lift us up, and connect
us to the Heavenly Worship that is eternally taking place before the
Throne of God. The very description of Heavenly Worship as found in the
Book of Revelation is clearly an image of the Divine Liturgy. The
beatific vision granted to Saint John revealed the Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-49254330373850173912012-02-18T05:39:00.001-08:002012-02-18T06:38:27.539-08:00
Post-Christian Era?
The remains of Saint Patrick's Catholic Church
The Decline of Christianity in America
Some twenty five years ago our monastic brotherhood arrived on Vashon
Island, establishing ourselves in a rental house near the Village of
Dockton. This little village had two churches, built by the original
founders of the community. Dockton, in the 1880's, had the largest dry
Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-31602239128360030452012-02-17T03:28:00.000-08:002012-02-18T07:37:26.816-08:00
Christophobia
Photos of the Monastery's library and community room.
Christianity Under Attack
The cover of the February 13th addition of Newsweek
magazine displayed a photo of a blood stained Coptic Orthodox icon of
Christ, with the headline, "The War on Christians". This article is the
first of note that has appeared in the mainline media, and one would
hope other publications willAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-70192675087687474602012-02-16T00:14:00.000-08:002012-02-16T00:14:29.833-08:00
Surrender
In Surrendering we have Victory
All
that we have comes down from the Father of Lights. We should not become
impatient, wanting more than we are ready to receive, for the Lord
knows what is best for us. He measures His
giving, according to our need, sometimes delaying the things we've asked for. When
we give ourselves over to Christ, He nurtures us, as a mother nurtures
herAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-5014172006229339412012-02-15T04:52:00.000-08:002012-02-15T04:56:29.171-08:00
Disciplines
The Three Disciplines:
Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving
Jesus Christ called
for a thorough conversion of our heart and mind, and a complete turning
away from the old man (our fallen nature). The main act that begins this
conversion is metanoia, which means thorough change of mind. This
happens when we become aware that we have sinned, and that we are in
need Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-74894139809830764232012-02-14T00:23:00.000-08:002012-02-14T01:14:51.613-08:00
Submission
The Abbot's Cell
Submitting to the Will of God
Pride keeps us from living according to the
will of God, and pride causes us to focus only on self. Without
submission to God, we wallow in the dankness of our fallen world, and
our true self remains dormant. One cannot submit to God without
humility, and when we submit to the will of God, we gain
Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-2959004885944003952012-02-13T04:59:00.000-08:002012-02-13T10:28:55.827-08:00
How to Forgive
Put Aside Resentment
The
decision to forgive another person a wrong done to us begins when we
decide to let go of resentment and
thoughts of revenge. To forgive someone does not mean that we forget
what they did to us, for this may be impossible. The memory of the hurt
might always
remain with you, but when you decide to forgive the person who wronged
you, the Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-59701989218298670932012-02-12T06:16:00.000-08:002012-02-12T06:18:09.591-08:00
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is the Cure for Judgment, Anger, and Resentment.
Our
Lord Jesus Christ told us: "Judge not, and you shall
not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and
you
shall be forgiven (Luke 6:37)." In the Our Father, the very prayer given
to His disciples after Christ was asked to teach them to pray, we say
the words "forgive us our debts Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-19034779725101983832012-02-11T03:59:00.000-08:002012-02-11T07:13:31.836-08:00
Solitude
We are Liberated by Solitude
If we are honest with ourselves, we are all solitaries, for it is inevitable as humans. As individuals we meet God alone, and we die alone. Spiritual maturity requires inner solitude.
To be alone in solitude is to be emptied of all that is important to this world. In solitude we seek God above all else and discover our sinfulness, and are brought in Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-67430884265031777092012-02-10T05:05:00.000-08:002012-02-10T11:53:38.892-08:00
Silence
Multnomah Falls
Be still, and know that I am God
Great
and Holy Lent is seen by most as the forty days before Pascha when we
give up certain foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish), and give more attention
to alms giving. The season of the Great Fast is also a time when we try
to cut back on entertainment, avoiding movies, nights out with friends,
and replace worldly pleasures Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-68664279781737802752012-02-09T07:57:00.000-08:002012-02-09T07:58:18.015-08:00
The Sins of Others
The south end ferry dock, with Tacoma, WA off in the distance.
If You are to Win the Battle,
Focus only on Your Own Sins
When we take our eyes
off our own failings, shortcomings, and sins, we notice the failings of
others. As the sins of others get our attention, our focus turns away
from our own struggles with the passions, and we begin to fall further
into Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-75133929794735030572012-02-08T04:12:00.000-08:002012-02-08T04:12:11.063-08:00
Humility
On the top deck of our new south end ferry.
If you are to be truly humble, you must never cease
to
reproach yourself. You must actively pursue a humble heart, and imitate,
even embrace the sufferings of Christ. Without the virtue of humility,
there can be no salvation. Without
humility your effort is useless. Humility bestows peace in your heart, because Christ
dwells Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-92187605454907281212012-02-07T08:15:00.000-08:002012-02-07T12:21:07.337-08:00
Putting off
the Old Man
Abbot Tryphon,
Metropolitan Hilarion, and Priest Sergei Sveshnikov
Vomit up the Evil Fruit
At the moment we've committed ourselves to a life in Christ, change
takes place. We begin walking the path of repentance, putting off the
'old man' and putting on Christ. The waters of baptism began this
change, and the life giving waters of regeneration make us new
Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-16580273328523456582012-02-06T08:28:00.000-08:002012-02-06T08:28:21.309-08:00
Theologians
Philosophers and Theologians
There are only a few Orthodox saints who've been given the honor of
being called, "theologians". Saint John the Theologian, and Saint Symeon
the New Theologian, to give two examples, were declared Theologians by
the Church, because of their theology was the outcome of their having
encountered the Living God.
Theologians, in the strict sense Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-87344495615969129322012-02-05T06:03:00.000-08:002012-02-05T06:10:46.153-08:00
The Sunday of the Publican
and the Pharisee
The icon of the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee
shows both men in the manner in which they enter the temple to pray. The
Pharisee goes to a very prominent place where others will see him. The
positions of his hands indicate that he is addressing God by speaking
of his stature and accomplishments. InAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-1120979032815886352012-02-04T04:14:00.000-08:002012-02-04T04:19:24.309-08:00
The Divine Liturgy
The Trapeza (click on photo to enlarge)
Communion with God is Restored
The Church is that place where heaven and earth are united, and where we
can live as we were meant to be, as before the Fall. The Church's
Divine Liturgy is that place where
the disunity that came with the Fall is put aside, and communion with
God is restored. Our participation in the DivineAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-44150669740050104882012-02-03T09:16:00.000-08:002012-02-03T12:05:25.741-08:00
Physician of Souls
A beautiful sunny day at the monastery.
God is not a Prosecutor, but a Physician
The
Scriptures, the works of the Early Church Fathers, and the liturgical
texts of the Church, all attest to the fact that the Ancient Church did
not teach that Christ's Incarnation was intended to be a propitiation of
divine righteousness. Rather, Christ came as a Physician Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-60547875468076087522012-02-02T06:55:00.000-08:002012-02-02T06:55:01.422-08:00
Gratitude
A Grateful Heart is Fertile Ground
When you strive to interact with members of your family, with friends,
coworkers, and all others, with respect, humility, and dignity, you lay
the groundwork for the abundance of Grace needed to quicken your heart
for the things of God. The soil is prepared for the planting of seeds
that allow you to respond to God's grace, forAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-33494785683508150412012-02-01T06:37:00.000-08:002012-02-01T06:37:51.537-08:00
Prayer
The Cure for the Disordered State
Man is living in
a perpetual state of disorder, far from the ordered life God intended
for him. The cure for this disordered state is to be found in prayer. It
is in the foundation of prayer that we seek out the healing that will
restore us to the image that God intended at the moment of creation.
Prayer is the yearning of the Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-70821728455606014492012-01-31T00:13:00.000-08:002012-01-31T07:17:01.217-08:00
The Saints
Our Friends in High Places
We
Orthodox are known for our veneration of the saints, recognizing as we
do the truth that there is no separation between the Church Militant,
here on earth, and the Church Triumphant, in heaven. In the Divine
Services we are not gathered together alone as mortals, but we are
joined in our worship before the Throne of God by the Cloud of
Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-38062306455921088892012-01-30T07:09:00.000-08:002012-01-30T09:43:39.924-08:00
Private Club?
Abbot Tryphon, together with Abbot Aidan,
and Brother Anthony, visiting Benedictine monks
from Our Lady of Guadalupe of Pecos, New Mexico
Imparting the Faith as a Missionary People
Two Byzantine brothers, Saints Cyril and Methodius,
brought Orthodox Christianity to the Slavs in the ninth century. The
brilliance of Eastern Orthodox missionary outreach, as opposedAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-44027258426293796182012-01-29T07:22:00.000-08:002012-01-29T20:10:44.075-08:00
Balance
The Opposite of Anger is not Permissiveness
In
my essay on Anger, I suggested the best way to respond to another
persons anger was not to withdraw, but to move towards them with
kindness. This is such an important issue, that I now want to expand on
the topic.
There are times when distancing yourself
from someone who is angry, is necessary. There is absolutely no good
Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-15380007874306244362012-01-28T06:32:00.000-08:002012-01-28T06:44:40.360-08:00
Anger
Anger Must not be Allowed to Take Root
Most people, when angered by someone,
think the best way to deal with the anger is by avoiding the person who
offended us. The problem with this approach is that it allows the anger
to take root in the heart, festering as a sinful passion. Because anger
is a sin, it can not be conquered by avoiding the person who made us
angry. It must beAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-3790773383729330602012-01-27T00:23:00.000-08:002012-01-27T08:13:13.206-08:00
Dressing for Church
Proper Attire in the House of God
The Church is our home, a place where we should feel comfortable, and
at ease. It is also God’s house and is a temple set aside for worship
of the Holy Trinity. Although times
have changed and we have become a very casual society, this attitude
can not be allowed to influence how we dress to worship God. Our way
of
dressingAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-36491987371407562482012-01-26T06:06:00.000-08:002012-01-26T06:08:09.404-08:00
Pride
click on photo to enlarge
Run from the Praise of Others
Pride is the mother of all sins,
for it blinds us to our faults, puffs up our egos, and makes us think we
are better than others. It is this pride that weighs us down, and makes
us think we don't need to change. We are blinded, thinking we are good,
and that God must be pleased with us, bloated as we are in Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-49848298243295239832012-01-25T02:57:00.000-08:002012-01-25T02:59:41.651-08:00
The Domestic Church
Gathered Around the Hearth
The
recent snow storm that hit the Puget Sound region on the 19th of
January, was followed by an ice storm, and high winds. The combination
was devastating for a region that normally gets very little snow, and
where ice storms are even more rare. The resulting power outages left
half a million homes without power, with thousands Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-29648960731614481662012-01-24T00:35:00.000-08:002012-01-24T00:35:22.614-08:00
The Fear of Love
He who does not love remains in death.
There
are those who fear commitment for fear of loss. They fear the other
will either leave them, or be lost in death, so they remain aloof from
any possible relationship. Some put on a facade of indifference, for
fear of rejection, depriving themselves of any possible happiness. In
fear of possible loss, they become the Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-44336426651998597422012-01-23T05:30:00.000-08:002012-01-23T12:39:23.955-08:00
Bishops
click on photo to enlarge
A servant cannot be greater than his Master
The Sovereign Lord of the Universe came down to earth as a humble servant. He Who sits upon the seraphim, was born to us in a stable. The King of kings came as the Good Shepherd Who laid down His life for His sheep. We who serve as His priests and bishops can be true to our vocation, only if we serve in Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-69899981851044481632012-01-22T00:06:00.000-08:002012-01-22T00:08:35.782-08:00
Doubt
The Opposite of Faith is Unbelief, not Doubt
Lack of doubt causes people to hold to
beliefs
which may not be enough to sustain them in this present world, for they,
in their fear of doubt, fail to go beyond the external form of the
Christian faith. In their fear, they may simply go through the motions
of religion, thus making their faith no more than the adherence to a set
Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-19714884224234640252012-01-21T04:58:00.000-08:002012-01-21T05:08:48.667-08:00
Divine Warmth
The Divine Flame will Consume You
At the very first moment you decide to turn to God, your
heart begins to be warmed by the action of the Holy Spirit. Your heart
is kindled with the divine flame that will transform you. This flame
will consume you completely, and will melt everything of a fallen nature
within you. Once this flame of divine love has been actualized Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-59395536523316987872012-01-20T04:09:00.000-08:002012-01-20T08:20:22.100-08:00
Eternity
Eternity is a very long time
God
reveals Himself to us if we seek Him out, and only remains
invisible to us if we refuse, out of pride and self absorption, to let
Him enter our lives. If you desire the knowledge that is yours for the
asking, simply make it known, and God will open the way for you. Do not
let the distractions of this world, and the material pleasuresAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-77376410565367841402012-01-19T04:26:00.000-08:002012-01-19T06:28:58.723-08:00
Theophany
Click on photo to enlarge
Also known as the Feast of
Lights
The Feast of the Holy Theophany of our Lord God and Savior
Jesus Christ is celebrated each year on January 6 (18 New Style). The Feast commemorates
the Baptism of Christ and the divine revelation of the Holy Trinity.
At the Baptism of Christ, all three Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-63896854446669372252012-01-18T00:17:00.000-08:002012-01-18T00:17:34.778-08:00
Laying Blame
click on photo to enlarge
Putting the blame in the right place.
"A humble and spiritually active man,
when he reads the Holy Scriptures, will refer everything to himself and not to
another." Saint Mark the AsceticWe all have a natural
tendency to lay blame on others, when in truth we must blame only
ourselves. When facing our own sins and shortcomings, it is always Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-877033713975984232012-01-17T09:02:00.000-08:002012-01-17T10:18:50.927-08:00
Oxygen
Our first snow of the season (click on photo to enlarge).
The Church, like a forest,
provides needed Oxygen
Growing up in Northern Idaho, I was surrounded by mountains and
forests. I don't remember a time when forests did not tug at my heart
and fill my imagination with thoughts of adventure. As a small child my
parents took my brother Dwayne, and me, on annual campingAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-14792927742652359982012-01-16T05:25:00.000-08:002012-01-16T05:29:05.235-08:00
Enduring Trials
Without Suffering,
the Cross cannot be Embraced
In comparison to eternity, the trials we suffer in
this life are but a blip on the meter. Many are suffering job loss,
illnesses, mortgage foreclosures, and all kinds of strife and hardships.
Yet if we look at all these difficulties in light of eternity, this
time of trial is nothing. "For I consider Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-86876322080515602892012-01-15T00:20:00.000-08:002012-01-15T07:23:02.381-08:00
.............Peace
True Peace is the Way of the Cross
In
an age that seems to be forever witnessing wars between nations, and
civil wars within nations, peace seems to be something that is about as
possible as the alchemy that would turn metal into gold. Peacemakers
struggle to find peaceful solutions for the conflicts between nations,
political parties, Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-79424302040724234622012-01-14T06:26:00.000-08:002012-01-14T07:43:49.483-08:00
All About Christ
Orthodoxy is about Christ, not Religion
Orthodoxy
is not a religion, but a way of life that is centered in Jesus Christ.
Orthodoxy, as a way of life, has the cure to what ails us and can return
us to that state of wholeness that was God's original intent for human
kind. Because
Orthodoxy is not about religion, it can offer the Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-79557926467649098622012-01-13T09:09:00.000-08:002012-01-13T10:43:58.345-08:00
The Chaplain
click on photo to enlarge
Chaplaincy: Manifesting God's Love
This
year's Northwest Regional Training of the International Conference of
Police Chaplains, included a day long seminar on "Principle Based
Leadership, the Importance of Ethics", presented by Chief Bob Vernon,
retired Police Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department.
As the conference came to a Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-47145319705828514402012-01-12T04:17:00.000-08:002012-01-12T04:43:59.022-08:00
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Photo taken at Ecola State Park
My how God has blessed our eyes.
As
we are nearing the conclusion of this year's Northwest Regional Seminar
of the International Conference of Police Chaplains, we've all marveled
at the beauty that surrounds us. The location of the conference center
is Cannon Beach, Oregon. The main building sits right on the beach, Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-67853606954977140802012-01-11T00:22:00.000-08:002012-01-11T00:27:04.875-08:00
Isolation
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Community: The Essential Element
Christianity
is a communal faith, one that requires it's followers to be actively
involved with others. The Church's worship is communal, and salvation
itself is a corporate act, one that necessitates interaction with
others. One is not "saved" in a vacuum, but as part of the corporal
life of the Church. Your salvationAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-33711879238396393962012-01-10T04:26:00.000-08:002012-01-10T06:44:11.863-08:00
The Lost Sheep
The Oregon Coast (click photo to enlarge)
Leaving the ninety-nine for the one
The
work of the Church is to seek out the lost sheep, and bring them into
the fold. The modern mission of the Church is to go out into the
community and find those who are lost. Many who were previously
Orthodox, but never made a personal commitment that assured they would
remain in the Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-68683919693278693912012-01-09T00:18:00.000-08:002012-01-09T00:24:46.897-08:00
A Joyful Life
Thirty Years a Monk
After almost thirty years as a
monk, and nearing eighteen years in the priesthood, I am hard pressed to
think there could be any other life for me. I am content. Living
in community with my brothers, celebrating the divine services in the
monastery's temple, counseling people, hearing confessions, and spending
many hours each day in Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-81319206699576106312012-01-08T01:45:00.000-08:002012-01-08T07:59:00.199-08:00
Spiritual Progress
Godly Friends and Spiritual Progress
It
is easy to feel trapped by our bad habits. We don't like certain
behavioral patterns that have become habitual, and we feel helpless in
our attempt to change. Growing as Christians is often fraught with
failure, and we find ourselves stuck. Our spiritual progress feels more
like a treadmill, only seemingly moving Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-74517047841756099772012-01-07T05:30:00.000-08:002012-01-07T05:35:07.705-08:00
Christ is Born!
Glorify Him!
The Nativity Sermon
by Saint John Chrysostom
"I behold a new and wondrous mystery!
My ears resound to the shepherd's song, piping no soft melody,
but loudly chanting a heavenly hymn!
The angels sing!
The archangels blend their voices in harmony!
The cherubim resound their joyful praise!
The Seraphim exalt His glory!
All join to praise this holy Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-20875877732014616452012-01-06T00:08:00.000-08:002012-01-06T11:21:55.915-08:00
Cloud of Witnesses
The Saints are Alive in Christ Jesus
Vigil lights are placed
before the icons of the saints, according to Saint
Symeon the New Theologian, as a way of showing that without the Light, Who is
Christ, the saints are nothing. It is only as the light of Christ
shines on them that they become alive and resplendent.
The saints
show us what a glorious destiny
we Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-35432109403557997612012-01-05T00:08:00.000-08:002012-01-05T00:12:23.606-08:00
The Incarnation
God Himself Appeared in the Flesh
We Orthodox Christians who keep the ancient
Church Calendar are approaching our celebration of the Nativity of
Christ Our Lord. On January 7th we will all be gathering together in monasteries,
chapels, churches, and cathedrals, to celebrate the Liturgy of the
Nativity of Our Lord, God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The very
incarnationAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-28701317324629679842012-01-04T08:36:00.000-08:002012-01-04T10:45:04.056-08:00
Demons
Never Converse with Demons
In 1986 I spent fourteen days in retreat at Saint Tikhon's Monastery in
South Canaan, Pennsylvania. Staying in the monastic quarters, I had two
weeks of wonderful fellowship with fellow monastics, worshiping in their
temple, eating with them in trapeza, walking the trails through their
forest, praying in their large Orthodox cemetery, and visiting Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-20996948141671674352012-01-03T00:22:00.000-08:002012-01-03T08:27:29.890-08:00
A Good Place
Blessing the campus of Pacific Lutheran University
Keeping one's mind and heart in a good place
Walking through life with a smile on your face and a song in your
heart is the best way to keep your mind and heart in a good place. Life
has many turns and many trials, but when you keep centered on all the
good that is in your life, the trials are short lived. Smiles are
Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-47932117508647680982012-01-02T01:02:00.000-08:002012-01-02T01:19:11.287-08:00
Christianity:
A Way of Life
(click on photo to
enlarge)
We are joined with the cloud of witnesses
When we say that Christianity is a way of life, we are referring to the
fact that the Church is the purveyor of divine revelation from our
Creator. This divine revelation infuses us with a transformational power
that lifts us up, changes us, and makes us whole. We have a Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-27919720953817511102012-01-01T00:19:00.000-08:002012-01-01T07:55:28.693-08:00
Divided Loyalties
We only think we can be of Christ and of the World
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and
love
the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye
cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24). As you begin a new year, be
mindful of where you place your priorities. Are you of Christ, or are
you of the world? Do you Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-6553248797351158692011-12-31T08:37:00.000-08:002011-12-31T18:55:49.076-08:00
Losing my Religion
Shrugging off Religion and Replacing it with Nothing
According to Professor Mark Silk of Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., "The
real dirty little secret of religiosity in America is that there are so
many people for whom spiritual interest, thinking about ultimate
questions, is minimal,"
Increasing numbers of people are concerned only with new cars,
mortgages,Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-89874232993101372052011-12-30T00:08:00.000-08:002011-12-30T00:08:33.445-08:00
The Journey
The Journey to God begins with the First Step
The spiritual struggle that is required of us can not depend on
having a spiritual father. Most Orthodox Christians do not have one, and
the average parish priest is not equipped, either with the time, nor
the inclination, to take on the role of spiritual father to members of
his flock. Just carrying the load as rectorAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-30755742733824804502011-12-29T00:13:00.000-08:002011-12-29T14:31:18.065-08:00
Godparents
The Role of Godparent is an Awesome Responsibility
The institution of godparents
(sponsors) is one that dates back to the first century of the Christian
Church. Anyone approaching baptism, be they infant or adult, was
required to have a godparent. In the case of an infant, it is the
godparent that speaks for the child, answering the questions posed by
the priest Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-19175918677628689422011-12-28T00:13:00.000-08:002011-12-28T00:19:29.216-08:00
Examination ofthe Heart
Holiness comes only to those who struggle.
Not
an hour should pass without taking time to examine our heart, for the
hour of judgement can come at any time, and we must be ready to give
account to God for our life.
There is no spiritual improvement if we do
not seek to please God with holiness of life. If we find good in our
deeds, we must attribute Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-6301621856084890662011-12-27T07:01:00.001-08:002011-12-27T07:41:15.376-08:00
A GRIM CHRISTMAS
Iraqi church under British guard
by Srdja Trifkovic
The Daily Mail Dec. 25, 2011
This Christmas let us spare a thought and say a prayer for countless Christian victims of Muslim brutality, over the centuries and in our own time. An explosion ripped
through a Catholic church during Christmas Mass near Nigeria’s capital
Abuja on Sunday morning, killing at least 25 Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-84033835200928635672011-12-25T21:14:00.000-08:002011-12-26T22:22:26.633-08:00
Queen Elizabeth's
Christmas Message
Here is the text in full
of the Queen's 2011 Christmas message, which was recorded on 9 December -
before her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, was hospitalized for treatment of a
blocked coronary artery. I am posting this for my readers because I am deeply moved by the willingness of Her Majesty to publicly proclaim her faith in Christ, something we Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-51883991892044220082011-12-24T15:33:00.001-08:002011-12-25T00:20:01.337-08:00
Venerable Father Herman
of Alaska
The Miraculous Intercession
of Saint Herman of Alaska
The following post was sent to me by His Grace, Bishop George, the Spiritual Father of our brother monastery in West Virginia. I wish to share it with all of you on this, the Feast of Saint Herman of Alaska. For all of you who are celebrating the Nativity of Christ today, I wish you all the Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-33555834957913796592011-12-24T00:16:00.000-08:002011-12-24T04:00:29.758-08:00The Eucharist The Eucharist is the greatest miracle of them all.
Of all the miracles of Christ, the greatest is the Eucharist. The Gospels are filled with accounts of miracles performed by Christ, but the greatest of them all was when He offered the simple elements of bread and wine, made by man, and transformed them into His very Body and Blood. This miracle continues to this very day, Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-74872667872386757032011-12-23T00:23:00.000-08:002011-12-23T00:23:40.656-08:00CREMATION
Cremation versus the Orthodox Practice of Burial
The first time I ever attended a funeral service where cremation of the body of the deceased had taken place was in Portland, Oregon, many years ago. An Episcopal priest friend had died and had requested his body be cremated. Walking into the church and seeing a small box sitting before the altar was a shock for me. Cremation was Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-41271280932302829462011-12-22T05:29:00.000-08:002011-12-22T08:26:22.565-08:00PrayerHow Should we Pray?Over the years, as strange as it may seem, we've had a number of people ask us if we'd pray they win the lottery, promising that if they did they'd donate a large portion to the brotherhood. The logic seemed to suggest that if the monks were going to get some of the take, the Lord would be more than happy to tweak the State Lottery numbers so they'd win big. Upon Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-28832550796120444602011-12-21T00:33:00.000-08:002011-12-21T21:02:39.306-08:00Standing before God The Orthodox Practice of Standing for Worship
Standing before God has been the only acceptable posture for Orthodox Christians from the earliest of times. We recognize that a faithful servant would never sit before his master, for the faithful are all servants of the Lord, whom we worship as we stand in our temples. The Holy Apostle Paul tells us, "Watch ye, stand fast in Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-82688452888094676052011-12-20T00:02:00.000-08:002011-12-20T08:03:32.602-08:00The Right to Life
The 2011 March for Life, State Capital, Olympia, WA.
"Those who use abortifacients commit homicide." Saint Clement
The recent murder of a New York woman who was sprayed with gasoline and burned alive in an elevator caused outrage throughout our land. This heinous crime, committed with such abject cruelty and total disregard for the life of another human, stunned us all. HowAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-13969397310692080522011-12-19T06:12:00.000-08:002011-12-19T06:12:06.158-08:00The Feast of Saint
Nicholas the WonderworkerHoly Father Nicholas Pray to God for us.
Our father among the saints Nicholas of Myra, Wonderworker, was the archbishop of Myra in southern Asia Minor in the fourth century and is also the basis for the Santa Claus legends and imagery which accompany Christmas celebrations in much of the world.
While widely honored and venerated, not only in the Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-57219505518447361352011-12-18T03:00:00.000-08:002011-12-18T06:03:43.333-08:00Angels UnawareDuring this Holy Season let us be Angels Unaware
There is not one of us who does not meet someone in a given week who is not in need of encouragement, love, and mercy. They are often mothers, who's children are going to bed at night hungry for lack of food money. Old women who's husbands are long gone, and who's children are too busy to check in on them. The young college Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-13329967998299002922011-12-17T00:02:00.000-08:002011-12-17T07:56:43.861-08:00Where is God?
How do we find God in an unbelieving world?
God is a merciful God, quick to forgive, quick to show mercy, quick to embrace us when we turn to Him. In all of eternity our God chose to create humankind in His image and likeness, offering His creatures the opportunity to commune with Him in the endlessness that is time. He's given us free will, allowing us to choose, or not to Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-83966151734485198242011-12-16T02:19:00.000-08:002011-12-16T10:26:04.573-08:00The Religious and
Secular DivideCivilization Needs Unity Between Religion
and the Secular StateThe great divide between the secular state and religion has grown substantially during my lifetime. Gone are the days when our nation was based on Christian values and where religion played an important role the public life of this country. The notion that we must separate Church and State has Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-14103882565667513812011-12-15T01:54:00.000-08:002011-12-15T09:22:35.824-08:00Hammi
the Norwegian Forest CatPets as Gifts from God
Every evening I try to spend an hour or so in the library, sitting in front of the fire place. Our beloved Norwegian Forest Cat, Hammi, sleeps in the library/community room every night. Hammi is most happy when the entire monastic brotherhood is gathered together with him. He's an important member of our community, loved by all of us, Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-43624061606134379572011-12-14T01:04:00.000-08:002011-12-14T07:56:22.176-08:00The Holy of Holies
in an Orthodox TempleThe Link between the Old and New Testament Temples
Orthodox temples have kept to the same form and function since ancient times. Using the Old Testament Temple model, Orthodox churches are divided into several courts or spaces peculiar to their function. The Holy Table, upon which is celebrated the Eucharist, is situated at the east end of the Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-51694857862487979952011-12-13T03:41:00.000-08:002011-12-13T07:27:43.865-08:00Thirsting for God
God Beckons as Does a Lover
A person who thirsts for the eternal
feels constrained by this world
and is not attracted by all that is
transitory by nature.
Only that which is of God quenches a thirst
that can not be satisfied by anything
that is of this material world.
God beckons him as thirst beckons a man
who is lost in a desert to Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-8576875795008389552011-12-12T00:02:00.000-08:002011-12-12T00:02:41.790-08:00Bodily Suffering
The Role of Bodily Suffering in
the Salvation of Human Kind
Elder Ambrose of Optina Monastery said, "We should not forget that in our age of 'sophistication' even little children are spiritually harmed by what they see and hear. As a result, purification is required, and this is only accomplished through bodily suffering....You must understand that Paradisal bliss Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-91116517896736480062011-12-11T14:07:00.000-08:002011-12-11T14:07:22.350-08:00Power Outage
We had a major power outage during last night's Vigil service, and I was therefore unable to write my blog article for today. The power is still not up, but we have our generator going, so I am now able to send off the saints commemorated for today, along with the scripture readings. Up to this moment our small generator has been busy keeping the refrigerators and the freezer Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-32537307954877815252011-12-10T02:58:00.000-08:002011-12-10T03:00:37.151-08:00Sexual Sins He who is his own spiritual father
has a fool for a spiritual son
Sins of a sexual nature are common among many people today. Much of the struggle is directly related to the fact that people do not take advantage of having a spiritual father. If you are your own guide the struggles with sexual passions can be beyond your ability to fight, leading to despair.
Our body is a Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-21369820083923437212011-12-09T05:52:00.000-08:002011-12-09T05:52:05.756-08:00Christ or Anti-Christ?
Christ will Triumph over Evil
Increasingly Christians have been talking about the coming of the Anti-Christ. Events around the world have created a sense of doom among many believers, seeing in the economic downswing, rise of Islam, extreme climate change, and breakdown of societal norms, as precursors to the coming of the End Times.
It is important that we Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-54381620661154892162011-12-08T04:51:00.000-08:002011-12-08T16:31:25.694-08:00The Best Witness
to Christ is Love Sharing the Truth of Orthodoxy
in a World Devoid of Hope
If you wish to share the truth of the Orthodox Faith, and Christ Who is her head, you must give witness to the love of Christ by loving everyone. Without Christ, Orthodoxy is just another religion, devoid of the power to transform and deify the human heart. Without Christ the Church is nothing but a Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-69426624367382935092011-12-07T06:14:00.000-08:002011-12-07T06:49:39.640-08:00The Rise of
Religious Fascism
Patriarch Kirill and Pope Shenouda
And the Polarization of East and West
The hard-line Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party has won 36.6 percent of the vote in recent Egyptian elections. The even harder-line Salafist party, Al-Nour, won 24.4 percent. The coalition of liberal, social-democratic, and secular parties, the Egyptian Bloc was able toAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-67920624768044496602011-12-06T00:52:00.000-08:002011-12-06T10:06:04.283-08:00Procrastination
I'll do it tomorrow.
We all have times when we procrastinate. There is a story of a young monk who confessed to his elder that he was always struggling with procrastination. His elder told him it was his lack of faith which made it impossible for him to see God everywhere, and in all things, and for this reason he was careless and lazy about everything having to do withAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-58414835158195768982011-12-05T05:34:00.000-08:002011-12-05T07:59:37.374-08:00Genuine Piety How to be a pious Orthodox Christian
without stoking the flames of pride
Many years ago I remember attending a Liturgy at a parish church and noticing a young man standing in the front of the temple, making profound bows, together with frequent, almost exaggerated signs of the cross. My first thought was that he must be a newly baptized Orthodox Christian. After embracing Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-57181310142999858782011-12-04T06:47:00.000-08:002011-12-04T06:47:44.436-08:00Anger
Do not let the sun go down on the anger of your brother (Eph. 4:26)
"Anger is by nature designed for waging war with the demons and for struggling with every kind of sinful pleasure. Therefore angels, arousing spiritual pleasure in us and giving us to taste its blessedness, incline us to direct our anger against the demons. But the demons, enticing us towards worldly lusts, make usAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-9792715323591300832011-12-03T05:44:00.000-08:002011-12-03T05:47:46.700-08:00A Funnel
Way of a Pilgrim Bookstore and Giftshop
A priest must become like a funnel
If a priest is truly to be an agent for grace, he must become like a funnel through which the Lord's mercy can flow. That a priest has received the grace of ordination, if he does not attempt to live a life of holiness, if he does not become a living sacrifice for his people, if he does not give himselfAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-18629398044509502602011-12-02T05:14:00.000-08:002011-12-02T12:55:13.027-08:00Repeat Offenders
Lecturing for World Religion Class
Repeat offenders: Habitual sins, repetitive sins.
In the Mystery of Confession we avail ourselves before the analoy stand, upon which the holy cross and the Gospel Book rest. The priest stands in as the witness, whereas in the early Church confession was done before the whole congregation of the faithful. After we have confessed before Abbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2235959592105819685.post-91066064810748029002011-12-01T04:11:00.000-08:002011-12-01T04:11:07.642-08:00
The Two Great
Commandments"Love thy God with all your heart, mind…" and secondly, "Love thy neighbor…"
We live in a world bombarded with thousands of messages, some subtle and some not-so-subtle, of merchandising that impact the way we interact with others, and the way we relate to God. Much of what we glean from these messages is narcissistic in nature, estranging us from one another. WeAbbot Tryphonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02797169249551356440noreply@blogger.com1